Drinking vessel



March 1954 T. E. PICKERING ETAL 2,671,326

DRINKING VESSEL Filed Oct. 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d 9%- 9 mad Md m 737/ M/JM March 1954 T. E. PICKERING EIAL 7 ,3

DRINKING VESSEL Filed 001;. 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1954 DRINKING VESSEL Thomas Edward Pickering and John Russell Pickering, London, England Application October 20, 1948, Serial No. 55,582

Claims priority, application Great Britain March 24, 1948 8 Claims.

This invention concerns drinking vessels, and has for a primary object to provide a childs drinking vessel from which all the contents may be drained without the necessity for the child to bend its head back.

Hitherto, it has been customary for the rim of the mouth of a mug or beaker or like drinking vessel to lie in a plane normal to the axis of the mug, and concentric with the base thereof. This results in the part of the rim opposite the point at which a child drinks engaging the childs forehead and preventing the contents from being drained unless the child bends its head well back. Young children, especially babies, are not easily taught to do this without spilling much of the contents of the vessel, and the present invention aims at overcoming this difficulty in a simple and effective manner whilst enabling the general ratio, for a mug or beaker, between the diameter of the free surface of the liquid and the depth thereof to be retained. This provision ensures that the rate of heat loss for a warm or hot drink will be of the same order as for a normal type of mug or beaker.

According to the present invention, a drinking vessel has the mouth at its upper end offset laterally with respect to the bottom of the vessel, the lip or point of maximum projection of the rim of the mouth beyond the said bottom being connected thereto, as seen in vertical section, by a substantially rectilinear front wall part meeting the rim at an angle less than 90 and the centre of gravity of the vessel lying vertically above a point within the said bottom or within a base which includes the bottom and an extension thereof beyond the side walls of the vessel.

For the purposes of this specification, the bottom of the vessel is regarded as the area enclosed by the lower edge of the side wall or walls. The base, on the other hand, is defined as the full surface area which is operative to support the vessel, and may be co-extensive with or project beyond the bottom. Thus, for example, the base of the vessel may comprise the bottom thereof, together with a coplanar extension located externally of the walls of the vessel below the lip on the mouth.

Preferably the rim of the mouth lies in a plane substantially parallel to that containing the bottom of the vessel.

The vessel is conveniently of generally cylindrical form, and the substantially rectilinear front wall part connecting the bottom to the lip on the rim of the mouth may with advantage meet the plane of the said rim at an angle of approximately 60.

Various alternative embodiments of the invention as applied to a babys drinking mug will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of drinking mug;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mug shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a second form of mug;

Fig. 4 is an underplan view of the mug shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of another form of mug taken on a plane parallel to and adjacent the bottom of the mug;

Fig. 6 is a perspective side view of a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. '7 is a plan View of the mug shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a still further alternative form of mug having a modified handle arrangement.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of an alternative construction of the form shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of yet another construction of mug;

Fig. 11 is a side view showing the form of mug illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 when in use;

Fig. 12 is a plan view showing a modified shape of mug, and

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a different shape of mug.

Throughout the drawings, like parts carry similar reference numerals.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the mug I is of substantially cylindrical shape having its axis 2 inclined to the vertical at an angle of the order of 30. The rim 3 of the mouth at the upper end of the mug l is of elliptical shape (see Fig. 2) and lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the bottom 4 of the mug, and the point 5 on this rim 3 which projects furthest beyond the said bottom 4 constitutes the drinking lip, and is connected to the bottom by a forwardsloping rectilinear front wall part 6 as seen in vertical section through the major axis of the ellipse of the mouth. On the opposite side of the mug I, the rear wall I has a short vertical part-cylindrical section 8 adjacent the bottom 4, this vertical section merging smoothly into the curvature of the inclined cylindrical outline of the mug I and constituting what may be termed a heel part of the mug. At a convenient position on one side of the mug is mounted a handle 9, although a drinking vessel according to the invention may have more than one handle (see, for example, Fig. '7) or no handle (see Fig. 13) as desired.

The mug l is thus of generally cylindrical shape, inclined towards the drinking lip when viewed from the side, and its walls are preferably of unifo'rin'thicknejss whilst its bottom 4 is thickened, as shown in Fig. 9.

The proportions of the mug are usually the same as those of a normal upright childre'n s mug, and the angle of inclination of the'axis 2 of the mug is not so great as to cause theoeiitre of gravity (shown at G in Fig. l) to lie'inad- Vance of the vertical through the point "ID on the bottom 4 below the lip 5 and opposite what has been termed the heel 8. It may be, however, that the centre of gravity G is, nevertheless, thought to be sufiiciently close to this vertical that the stability of the mug I when in use is unduly lessened having regard to the possibility of jolting or shaking of the table or tray on which'the mu'gis normally placed'when'full.

, -"In"order to improvethe stability of the'mug I, the bottom '4 thereof may be -extendedbey'o'n'd the point ID to provide a base l2 whichds'of greater extent than the bottom 4 of the vessel l and off-set with respect thereto'inthe direction of the lip 5 on the mouth. This extension may be i'nthe form of arelatively short crescent-shaped tongue l3 blending into the front wall 6, as shown inFi'g; 3, o'r'it may be in the form of "a fiat'arcuate plate of half-moon shape. Alternatively "'againj-as shown in Fig; 5, the base may be constituted by a circular or substantiallycircular 'dis'c 12a having a common tangent with the bottom 4 at the-heel 8 thereof but oif-setwith respect thereto in the directionof the lip '5 on the mouth. Such a disc-like base [211 may be'flat or may have an up-turned rim I2b (Figs. 6 and 7) to" constitute in effect an integral'eccentric "saucer. The upturned rim [21) may blend into 'the wall'of'the mug I at the heel part 8 or it maybe continuous all round the saucer as pre- "ferred. The base may be of polygonalor other shape as desired. I

in 'a further'modification, shown in Fig. 8 a

handle 9a may be formed on or'secu'redto the 'ffont"wallpart 6 of the mug I in a v'e'i't'icalfplane at a point below the lip'5, the lower 'e'n'dof the "'han'dleta ti'minating'at'a point 9b in'the'plane of the base 4 of the mug to constitute"a'strut"or 'ste'ady' therefor. The'handle'fla'niay be curved, as shown, or it may be straight, as shown 'at'Qa inFig. 9, in which also its lower end is 'shown returned at 90 towards thebottom' l of'the'inu and secured to the front wall aivethrebr 420:"

'form aj'cIOSed loop.

In addition to the useof'a'base l2 'or'anextendedbottom 13 of' the mug I, the lower-end of the'rear Wall'a'djacent'the'heel 8, or thefbo'ttbm "4, or' bothfmay be thickened, as'at 8a in Fig. 10, for otherwise-increased in weight, as by -a-metal insert Mfso that this portion'a'cts as'a counterflweig'ht tooppose-tipping of'themug in the directionof the inclination of its axis 2.

-In use, the-child drinks from the lip Bof-the-J head back. Moreover, with a mug of normal capacity, the size of the free surface of the liquid is not substantially greater than is encountered in a mug of the same capacity and of usual up- 5 right design. Thus a warm drink will retain its heat for aboutthe same period of'time.

Other formations "than cylindrical may be adopted as desired; for example, as shown in Fig. 1 2, the mug may be of hexagonal section in plan,

having a short vertical wall portion 8 at the heel thereof. It may alternatively be of square or otheripolygonal-shape in plan or horizontal cross- --section. 'The short vertical wall section at the heel of the vessel may be omitted as indicated in T5 Fig. "l3,"andthe line of the rear wall I may be thereof, and an open mouth at the'upper-end-of the vesseL' the rim of which lies wholly in a plane parallel to the plane of sa'id'base, the center of gravity of said vessel lying on a line drawn through the base and normal to the plane there- Oilanda portion of'the side wall of the vessel adjacent the base oppositethe point of greatest {overhang of theside wall being'formedsubstan- -tiallyat right angles to said base.

2. In a'drinking vessel,a single liquid containenhaving a, base andside walls, the upper "ends of said side walls constituting the rim of the mouth of said container, said rim lying in "a plane-parallel to the plane of said base, the for- 'ward portion of said rim serving as a-drinking 40 "portion; the axis'of said container bein inclined "upwardly'and forwardly with respect to said base, 'tl'iewallsof said container "being substantially straight in vertical section "and .parallel to 'said axis over at least the upperpartsof their lengths, "andtl iecenter of gravity of saidcontain'er lying vertically above a point in thebase' of 'sai'd'contairi'e'r'when' said'ba'seacts as a horizontal surface. '3. "A drinking vessel comprising a, singlelliqui'd container having its axis inclinedforwardlywith re ct to'the base of the vessel, said container :having 1 its upper end open to constitute the mouth of' the vesseljthe rimof themouth: lying in a plane substantially parallel totheplane of the base, opposite portions of the walls of said vesselbeingsubstantially'straight andparallel to said; axis over :at-least the upperparts of -their lengths, and the center of-gravity of-saidvessel lying verticallyaboveapointin. the base =when --the-base rests ona horizontal surface.

4.A-drinking "vessel constituted :by a-si-ngle 1 hollow container which is generallyparallel-sided when seen 'incross-section on=a plane containing the axis --of the I body, said axisbeing: inclined --forwardly with respect to aplane vertical-to the 5 base thereofpand-an open mouth -at the:upper end of the vessel, the rim of which lies wholly in -a-plane parallel to' the plane'of the' said base, the center of gravityof said vessel lying-ona line drawn through the base and normal to the plane -thereof, -a--portion of the side wall-of the vessel adjacentthebase'opposite thepointof the great- -e'st'over-hang of the side wallcbeingformedsubstantia;1ly atright'ang'les'to the base and afhan- -dle= attached to :the*-wa1r at'a point adjacent-the point of maximum projection of the rimcbfathe mouth beyond the bottom and extending to a point lying in the plane containing the base of the vessel.

5. A drinking vessel as set forth in claim 3, wherein a portion of the side wall of the vessel adjacent the base opposite the point of greatest overhang of the side Wall is formed substantially at right angles to said base.

6. A drinking vessel as set forth in claim 5, wherein the side wall portion which is formed at right angles to said base is thickened to form a stabilizing counterweight for said vessel.

7. A drinking vessel as set forth in claim 6, wherein the thickened portion of th wall adjacent the base of the vessel has embedded therein a mass of a material having a greater density than the material of the rest of said vessel.

8. A drinking vessel as set forth in claim 3. wherein a handle is attached to a wall adjacent the point of maximum projection of the rim of the mouth beyond the bottom of the vessel and extends to a point lying in the plane containing the base of said vessel.

THOMAS EDWARD PICKERING. JOHN RUSSELL PICKERING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number D. 5 D. D. D. D. D.

Number Name Date Brundige Aug. 16, 1881 Overton Mar. 4, 1890 Meinecke July 11, 1899 Hogan July 18, 1899 Johnson June 8, 1926 Werth Oct. 21, 1947 Goldsmith June 28, 1881 Bacon, Jr. May 23, 1893 McDonough et al. May 26, 1896 Hoffa Jan. 16, 1906 Kandlbinder Apr. 19, 1910 White et al. Dec. 8, 1914 Cartledge Aug. 9, 1921 Goldman et al. Jan. 26, 1937 Cooper June 21, 1938 Chew Jan. 5, 1943 Pera Aug. 1, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Deite Austria May 26, 1931 France June 26, 1926 

